the GazettE drops guitarist Aoi from the band

In a surprise announcement, the GazettE announced that they have kicked their guitarist Aoi from the band after a period of internal turmoil. The lineup in the Twitter profile of the band has immediately been changed and now lists members as: RUKI, Uruha, REITA, and Kai.
An English language version of the announcement has been copy pasted below.

To everyone who has continued to support us,
We would like to share an important announcement with everyone who has supported the GazettE.
We have made the decision to remove guitarist Aoi from the band and go our separate ways moving forward.
We sincerely apologize for delivering such sudden news to those who have been waiting for our upcoming activities.
The situation began when Aoi unilaterally stepped away from band activities and took actions that interfered with already scheduled releases and tours, along with repeated actions that undermined the trust within the band.
In order to preserve the future of the GazettE, we repeatedly attempted to communicate with him directly. However, all such requests were declined and communication eventually became limited to exchanges through his representative.
During this time, not only were responsibilities that should normally have been carried out left unfulfilled, but there were also statements refusing participation in live performances—something that directly affects the trust we share with our fans—as well as repeated demands regarding financial matters that we could not reasonably accept.
Furthermore, information that differed from the facts was communicated externally without our agreement, and even important matters related to a deceased member were handled in ways we found deeply inappropriate.
This developed into a situation that we could not overlook, including concerns related to confidentiality.
Facing a situation that threatened the continuation of the GazettE, both the members and staff were placed under immense emotional strain. After careful consideration, we ultimately concluded that it would be impossible for us to continue sharing the same vision and standing on the same stage together.
Regarding our future activities, we intend to continue moving forward without stopping. As for the releases that had previously been scheduled, we will review them once again and provide further details once plans have been finalized.
We remain committed to protecting our activities and continuing to deliver music to everyone who loves and supports the GazettE.

March 10, 2026
the GazettE Members